The course, chaired by Claire Baldock, Chair of the AIPPI’s Special Committee for Biotechnology and Plant Sciences, and Boult Wade Tennant partner was attended by practitioners interested in intellectual property. Its aim was to provide attendees with an understanding of up-to-date concerns and matters by reflecting on the major uncertainty over the value of gene patents as well as how to approach ‘speculative’ patenting.

White’s presentation focused on the evolving story of HGS’s European patent on Neutokine-alpha in the UK and EPO. She outlined how function and use is essential for patentability of genes and proteins, examined the Neutrokine-a patent, discussed the TNF Receptor/Ligand superfamily and drew conclusions as to what the HGS patent provided and what it did not.